Publications by authors named "D Swanepoel"
Hearing aid verification: Practices and perceptions of South African audiologists.
S Afr J Commun Disord
December 2024
Background: Hearing aid verification is required to objectively measure hearing aid outputs by ensuring that the amplified speech spectrum closely approximates the prescription goals.
Objectives: This study aimed to determine audiologists' perceptions and practices regarding hearing aid verification and identify facilitators and barriers to its use.
Method: A cross-sectional national e-survey included questions related to demographics, perceptions of verification, verification practices and two open-ended questions regarding the facilitators and barriers to conducting hearing aid verification in South Africa.
Article Synopsis
- The study used automated language analysis techniques, specifically Meaning Extraction Method (MEM) and Principal Component Analysis (PCA), to uncover key themes from open-ended responses about hearing aid experiences from users.
- A total of 538 adult hearing aid users participated, providing insights into six main factors affecting their experiences, including life changes, social situations, and quality of life.
- The findings suggest that language analysis can deepen understanding of hearing aid user experiences, and future research should focus on improving these methods for better clinical applications.*
Background: This study aimed to examine whether individuals with chronic tinnitus report more positive experiences following internet-based cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT).
Methods: A mixed-methods design was used, nested in clinical trials evaluating internet interventions for tinnitus. Participants ( = 164) completed online questionnaires (both structured and open-ended) providing demographic information as well as health variables (e.
Purpose: This study explored user perspectives on the relationship between hearing aid cost and uptake, as well as cost-related recommendations for others with hearing difficulties, in a sample of prescription and over-the-counter (OTC) hearing aid users.
Method: A secondary analysis was conducted on a cross-sectional survey using qualitative content analysis to analyze responses related to the cost of hearing aids. The study included a total of 241 adult participants, comprising 179 prescription hearing aid users from the Hearing Tracker website and 62 OTC hearing aid users from the Lexie Hearing U.
Objective: Developments in smartphone technology and the COVID-19 pandemic have highlighted the feasibility and need for remote, but reliable hearing tests. Previous studies used remote testing but did not directly compare results in the same listeners with standard lab or clinic testing. This study investigated validity and reliability of remote, self-administered digits-in-noise (remote-DIN) compared with lab-based, supervised (lab-DIN) testing.
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